"We have made a priority holding individuals and companies responsible when they fail to live up to their obligations that they have to protect the safety of the food that all of us eat," Associate Attorney General Stuart Delery told the Associated Press.

The Obama administration has recently increased criminal enforcement in food safety cases. Most of the food in the United States is safe, but "even a tiny minority" can cause harm, Delery noted.

"The criminal prosecutions we bring should stand as a stark reminder of the potential consequences of disregarding danger to one's customers in the name of getting a shipment out on time -- of sacrificing what is right for what is expedient," he told food manufacturers at a safety meeting in Dallas last month, the AP reported.

Food safety regulation and enforcement is supported by the food industry.

"Product safety is the foundation of consumer trust, and our industry devotes enormous resources to ensure that our products are safe," said Pamela Bailey, president and CEO of the Grocery Manufacturers Association, the leading trade group for the industry, the AP reported.